Osho gave Mahesh Bhatt a menacing message after he ‘threw his mala in the commode'; threatened to ‘burn' his memory, called him a ‘mouse'

Indian Express

12-06-2025

While actor Vinod Khanna's association with the spiritual guru Rajneesh remains well known, it was director Mahesh Bhatt who introduced them to each other. Bhatt became a follower of Rajneesh after experiencing professional setbacks early in his career, but soon snapped out of his fascination with the spiritual leader. Khanna, however, remained devoted. He even quit the film business at the peak of his success and moved to the United States, where Rajneesh set up his infamous commune. He returned to India after some years, and rebranded himself as Osho. Bhatt has spoken previously about the dislike that developed between him and the guru, and Rajneesh himself was dismayed by Bhatt, and how he chose to sever ties.
In an appearance on Arbaaz Khan's chat show, Bhatt spoke about his brief entanglement with Rajneesh. 'I was a normal guy. I made films such as Vishwasghaat and Manzilien Aur Bhi Hain that flopped. So, I was into the spiritual supermarket; I went to Osho Rajneesh, who was a charismatic guru from Pune. I went to him and devoted myself to him… ochre robes and meditation five times a day,' Bhatt said, adding, 'I took Vinod Khanna to Osho Rajneesh. While I broke the (connection), he continued. I broke the mala and threw it down the commode. I thought that I still feel envious but I am saying holy words… I feel like a hypocrite. I can't lie to the world and myself.'
Bhatt knew that Rajneesh had taken his 'betrayal' personally, because Khanna said as much to him. He was made a messenger. Bhatt recalled, 'Vinod called me from Filmistan and said Bhagwan is very angry. You broke the mala and threw it in the commode. I said 'yes, I have done that. This is worthless; I am a damn fool.' He said Bhagwan has said ask Mahesh to come back and hand over the mala in person, otherwise he said', and Vinod lowered his voice, 'he will destroy you'.'
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And it seemed like Osho was truly affected by Bhatt's decision to give up on him. According to his book, The 99 Names of Nothingness, Osho addressed his fallout with Bhatt while speaking to Khanna. 'Just tell one thing to him: that if he has not been courageous enough to keep to the commitment of sannyas, he should be at least courteous enough to return it. And I knew that this was going to happen. I knew, because there were only two alternatives: either his girlfriend was going to become a sannyasin or he was going to become a non-sannyasin… and he was defeated by her. He will repent one day. He will feel and he will come… but he betrayed. He has broken something very sacred. And one day when he realises the whole phenomenon he will be surprised…'
Although Osho didn't mention the woman that Bhatt had become involved with, he seemed to be blaming her for getting in the way. He also seemed to be aware of Bhatt's comments about having destroyed 'the mala' after backing away from Osho. 'I call it a tragedy, because once that power is destroyed she will no more be interested in the man. This is the dilemma: she is interested in power, then the power feels frightening. If the man remains so powerful then she will remain dependent; she will never be the whole – and soon she starts playing feminine tricks. And because he loves her, the man goes on yielding… Once he starts yielding, the lion disappears and the mouse is born, and no woman is interested in a mouse, no woman at all. Once she has reduced the man to a mouse, she is finished, and as I can see, that is what has happened.'
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Osho said that he predicted the woman would lose interest in Bhatt after having conquered him. 'She could have remained with him if he had remained unyielding, if he had remained a real man. If he had remained an unconquered peak she would have remained interested, but now she will search for other peaks, somebody else. He is already a spare part, an extra,' he said. He concluded his comments by conveying a message to Bhatt via Khanna. 'So tell him: if he is not courageous enough to keep the commitment, he should be courteous enough to return it. And once his mala is back, I am going to burn it and destroy it. Only that will bring him to his senses. So just tell this much to him.'
In an interview with the Indian Express earlier this year, Bhatt spoke about Khanna's return to Mumbai after the commune in the United States was disbanded. 'When I turned away, he stayed—and then disappeared to Oregon. I even flew to America once, to try and bring him back. But he was too far gone. When the Rajneesh dream collapsed, he returned—broken. I met him again in a small flat opposite Jaslok Hospital.'